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Company of Wolves

-Chapter Six:

Shinji pushed the door to his small room open and stepped inside. It was only his second time in the room since he had first arrived and the first time he had stepped in with any intent to sleep. He would need a real apartment soon, but for now the NERV officer dorm room would do. "Shinji?" he sighed and quickly woke himself up.

"Yes?" He turned and found Mana standing in his open doorway.

"I heard you had a run in with some small-time triggerman," the redhead stated.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "Disappointed he didn't get me?" For a moment there was pain on her face and Shinji felt bad for saying that. "I'm. . ." he cut himself off. Why was he apologizing to the enemy? Mana's dismayed expression was gone in seconds.

"Disappointed? Me? Of course not," she stated. "I'd just hate to have some know-nothing hack bump you off when that should be my job, you damn dog."

"Of course," Shinji agreed. He sat down on his bed.

"Shinji?"

"Yeah?"

"I knew you were a mercenary when we met."

"I knew too," Shinji replied. "That was just for fun, right?"

"Oh, yeah," Mana stated. "I'll see you around." The door slid shut and Shinji flopped back on his bed. She was lying, but so was he and they both knew it. Shinji stared at the ceiling for a minute before sitting up and moving to his pack while reaching for his cell phone.

(:ii:)

Misato scowled as she stared at the message on her computer. "God damn it."

"Did you break another laptop?" Misato nearly jumped out of her seat, but relaxed when she saw Ritsuko standing in the doorway. "Twitchy, aren't you?"

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," Misato growled. "How'd your little date with Shinji go?"

"Not so well," Ritsuko stated.

"Do tell."

"I'd rather not talk about it." Now Misato's interest was piqued.

"You didn't sleep with. . ."

"No!" Ritsuko shrieked. "I did not sleep with a man fifteen years my junior!"

"Is that just a first date rule or a life rule?" Misato pressed, enjoying her normally stoic friend's sudden expressiveness. Ritsuko scowled at her.

"So, I take it you don't know that someone tried to assassinate Shinji last night." Misato's jaw dropped.

"What? When did this happen? Is he okay? What happened to. . ."

"He's fine," Ritsuko cut in. "He took care of his assailant." The blond glanced at Misato's computer. "Just what are you obsessing about this time?"

"What do you. . ."

"When you start obsessing about something, you lock yourself in your office and become completely oblivious to everything else," Ritsuko stated. "Don't you remember the last time you did this?" Misato frowned as she thought back to when Kaji had disappeared, leaving behind only murky clues that had eventually led to Commander Ikari's downfall. "Why are you staring at the homepage for Shinji's company?" Shocked out of her reverie, Misato spun to see that Ritsuko had moved behind her to stare at the computer.

"Shinji's hiding something," Misato explained lamely.

"I'll say," Ritsuko murmured. "Does he know that you're trying to spy on him?"

"Yeah," Misato replied. "He caught me before. I think he threatened me." She tried to make the last bit sound like a joke, but, if anything, Ritsuko looked even more serious. "What do you know, Ritsuko?"

"I know that he's not just what he says," Ritsuko replied. "He's extremely dangerous."

"Apparently," Misato agreed as she closed down her browser and stood up. "All the same, he's still Shinji and I'm going to check on him."

(:ii:)

Kaji frowned and dug his phone out as it continued vibrating. He flipped it open and stared at the simple text message. "What is it?" Janet asked.

"It's a message from Shinji," Kaji stated. "Oh, dear. This isn't good."

"What is it?"

"Somebody took a shot at him."

"Oh, God. The shooting has started already? Why did I listen to you?"

"No. Somebody tried to assassinate him," Kaji replied.

"He didn't cause it, did he?" Janet asked.

"He didn't say," Kaji admitted, "though I don't think he's been there long enough to give anyone reason to kill him."

"Darfur," Janet replied. Kaji stared at the woman for a moment.

"That's not fair. They were killing everyone they ran across."

"Until Shinji killed them all within two hours of stepping into the country," Janet commented. Kaji sighed in annoyance.

"Anyway, Shinji doesn't take to kindly too being shot at. To him, this job just went from nothing, to something."

"I take it, this means that Tokyo-3 is about to go hot."

"Very hot," Kaji stated. "He'll probably be packing a lot more heat from now on and if somebody shoots at him again, he'll be more than ready."

"Do we need additional personnel?"

"No. Shinji's too good. They'll be up to their eyeballs in corpses and have no idea what is going on." Janet shuddered.

"I know he's like your son, Kaji, but if you ever died, I'd kill him without a thought," she stated truthfully. "He's just too much of a threat to everyone around him without you to focus him."

"Be reasonable," Kaji stated. "Do you think you'll ever be able to find someone as good as Shinji?"

"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Kaji frowned as how easily she answered. Yes, Shinji was extremely dangerous, but he still had a view of the bigger picture. He wasn't just some sad, sick creature that killed without thought. He was smart and capable. Very, very capable.

"Don't be so quick to judge," Kaji stated as he walked out of the room. He hesitated and glanced back. "Oh, and if you ever do make an attempt on him, make sure you get it right the first time. You won't get a second try."

(:ii:)

Shinji lowered his emptied Glock service pistol and stared down the range. Apparently, the long trip hadn't knocked the sights out of alignment. "Very impressive, Mister Ikari."

"Isn't it?" Shinji asked cheerfully as he laid the weapon down. "Didn't I tell you to call me Shinji?" The range safety officer just gave Shinji a nonplussed look that encouraged him all the more. "I don't think I ever caught your name."

"Matsumoto," the pretty brunette stated, "Lieutenant Matsumoto." Shinji chuckled at her antics and picked up one of his empty magazines. "I have to ask, Mister Ikari, what kind of bullets are you planning on using in that pistol?"

"Company issue hollow points," Shinji stated, "although, you know I'm on the private sector. You don't have to worry about what I'm using."

"Above the law and below the radar," Matsumoto mused darkly.

"Don't put it that way," Shinji ordered playfully. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

"It is," Matsumoto stated.

"You seem to think that I'm a bad guy," Shinji commented. Matsumoto's eyes narrowed and Shinji just smiled. "I'm actually very nice if you give me a chance."

"Figures this is where I'd find you." Shinji turned and his smile dimmed slightly as he saw Mana in the door frame. "Getting some practice in after what happened?"

"Kind of," Shinji stated as his hand casually patted his Glock, "just figured I'd trade up if I was going to be putting up with a bunch of fanatics."

"I see," Mana replied as she moved to stand next to Shinji and set down a small pistol case. "Nice weapon. Glock 21SF?"

"Glock 21LC," Shinji stated. "Company standard issue."

"I've never heard of that make."

"It's a limited run that Glock makes only for us," Shinji explained.

"I was wondering about the flat dark earth frame," Mana commented, gesturing at the pistol's tan polymer grip.

"Made to our specifications," Shinji replied.

"Nice," the redhead volunteered as she drew her own pistol and set it down.

"Well, speaking of personal touches. . ."

"So you know that my company issues Glock sub-compact 9mm," Mana commented as she patted her .45-caliber Glock 30SF. "What can I say? I like big bullets."

"Hey Shinji!" He turned and saw Misha standing in the shooting range's door. It appeared that the only thing keeping her from tackling him in her usual manner was Matsumoto's sharp glare. She walked forward at a much more sedate pace. "Hey, where's your other gun? I think that one's a lot cooler."

"I still have it," Shinji stated as he reached under his shirt and pulled out Kaji's chrome Walther. He frowned as both Mana and Matsumoto snickered. "What? It's a good gun!"

"Sure thing Mister Bond," Matsumoto stated as she tried to hide her uncharacteristically feminine giggles. Shinji pouted and they both laughed harder.

"I've never shot a pistol before," Misha commented as she examined Shinji's Glock.

"Well, we'd best fix that now," Mana commented. Shinji caught her eye inquiringly. The woman just shrugged. "It's something all young women should know how to do," she explained. "And who's better qualified than us?"

"I guess dogs of war would be fairly good at shooting," Matsumoto commented.

"Don't count me in with his kind!" Mana yelped, but there was no real malice. "He's evil. I'm legitimate."

"I'm not evil, I'm equal opportunity," Shinji shot back as he fought to keep his face strait. He had forgotten how infectious Mana's smile was when she was happy.

"Here I was thinking that you had very discerning tastes in clients," Misha cut in.

"So, you're against me too, eh?" Shinji asked with mock exasperation. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to get over it." He pushed another magazine into his Glock and tugged the slide back. "Now the first thing you need to know about shooting. . ."

(:ii:)

Mana frowned as she watched her fellow contractor lecture the young woman on how to shoot. She had forgotten how charming and friendly he could really be when he wasn't trying. He was also, apparently, an excellent teacher. "Not bad, Ikari."

"Huh?" He glanced down range and smiled at the relatively tight cluster of holes on the target. "Oh, right. That's really all there is to target shooting."

"What about self-defense?" Misha pressed.

"Self defense is tricky," Mana cut in.

"Not really," Shinji interrupted. "The only real problem most people have, is realizing that, once you pull the trigger, someone will die. Killing another person is not a natural thing to do and it will mess with you. Once you understand and accept that, you're golden. That understanding will come when you realize that someone must die and it's either you or him." Mana frowned. She hadn't even thought about the psychology behind self-defense.

"That's a good point Shinji," she commented.

"I know," Shinji replied. "When I'm not being a special investigator, I'm an instructor trainer."

"An instructor trainer?" Misha pressed.

"Of course. My company specializes in military advising," Shinji stated. "I train my company's instructors to teach people."

"What do you teach?" Misha asked.

"I'm very well rounded," Shinji stated, "I'm an instructor trainer for my company's integrated CQC system and I'm just an instructor for long-range precision anti-personnel marksmanship.'

"He's a sniper," Mana stated in a theatrical whisper.

"Don't say that," Shinji whined with that ridiculously cute pout of his. "People always think such negative things when they hear that."

"With good reason," the range safety officer cut in. Mana thought her name was Kimiko Matsumoto. "Although, really, anybody can do long range shots anymore, what with ballistic computers and everything."

"I can do a mile and a half on a man with a .416 Barrett, a log book, and a fourteen power scope," Shinji stated. Matsumoto blinked.

"That is very impressive."

"I know."

"So what else do I need to know about self-defense?" Misha asked, apparently done with all the military talk.

(:ii:)

Misato frowned as she drew closer to the pistol range. Her search had eventually led to a trail of amused women that pointed her along. Now she could barely believe what she was hearing. Shinji was laughing, really laughing. Misato stepped into the range and took in the scene before her.

Misha was cradling a large black and tan handgun in her small hands and Shinji and Mana stood behind her, apparently coaching her how to shoot. Misato wasn't sure she had ever seen any of them look quite so content.

"Well, that's about all we can do on this range," Shinji stated. "From here on, things can get really interesting."

"Like what to do if someone catches you by surprise," Mana stated. "Attack me Shinji."

"Pardon?" Mana shot him an annoyed look. "Oh, right." Shinji stepped in close and wrapped his arms around the smaller woman.

"You have to create space," Mana stated as she twisted in Shinji's arm and brought her hand up to hit him in the stomach lightly. "You can use the weapon for that. There are also alternative weapons to consider." A long, glimmering knife appeared in her hand. Misato couldn't help but marvel at how easily they moved. Fighting really was their profession and they were amazing at it. "A gun is metal and if you move it fast enough, you can put someone down without even firing."

"Otherwise known as pistol whipping," Shinji interjected. "Although it's not really as funny as it is in movies. People tend to get really hurt when you beat them over the head with a chunk of metal."

"Interesting position," Misato commented as she stepped into the range. Shinji and Mana glanced up at her and than down at themselves. They quickly stepped apart. "I just heard what happened last night, Shinji."

"Yeah," Shinji replied, patting a long, suppressed weapon laid out on the counter. "It wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"So, just teaching Misha how to shoot?" Misato pressed as she moved to examine the spread of weapons.

"Some say it's something all young women should know how to do," Shinji stated. "Right, Mana?"

"Right." Misato frowned down at the pistol. Between Shinji and Mana, there were half a dozen pistols on the table.

"How many guns do you two carry?"

"Normally?" Shinji asked. "I don't carry many really, just two. I much prefer knives." He reached for the lapel of his shirt and drew a small, black blade. "They're quieter, quicker, and just as deadly at the right range." He waved his hand and the blade disappeared.

"Cute," Mana commented.

"I know," Shinji stated with a broad grin. Misato couldn't help but smile back. For a moment, just a moment, he was really Shinji. Not the Shinji she had known so long ago, but a real Shinji nonetheless.

"Oh, and by the way. I ran into Asuka on my way down here. She wants to see you two as soon as possible."

"Us?" Mana asked, glancing over at Shinji.

"Yeah, both of two. I don't know what it's about, but it seemed important."

"Alright," Shinji stated. "Just give us a couple of minutes to pack up."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes.